Catch-Up

Wow...I have a lot to catch up on! Well, it feels like a lot anyway... This will be a purely word post, and the next post will be pictures. J is on the other computer right now that has all our pictures and he's working...so pictures are later! :)

I'll start with Thanksgiving and the events that happened around that.

My hub's family (excepting two sisters and their families) decided to come to our house this Thanksgiving (bless them because we were too poor to go anywhere). In preparation for their coming and staying with us, I had to clean my house and get all the rooms ready. They were arriving on Monday so I cleaned on Monday (yes, I'm a procrastinator...I was just born with it I guess). Sunday evening though, Sabra, our puppy, threw up. (If you get queasy you may want to skip this next part...) She will throw up occasionally because of different reasons so it didn't really alert us to anything. Monday morning came around (cleaning day mind you) and she threw up again, and again, and again, and...well, you get my drift. She threw up all day Monday. We thought maybe she just had the flu, but as the day went on, it got way worse. She started to throw up massive amounts of blood. This scared us. We didn't know what to do. By the second time she threw up blood, all the vets were closed so we decided to wait out the night. By this time, our family came in and so it was a little crazy with everything that was going on. We went to bed and kept Sabra and Riley in the bathroom so if Sabs threw up, it would be on the linoleum. She threw up alright, all night long. My husband got up and cleaned it up (one of the many reasons I love, love, love him). That morning, we decided to take her to the animal hospital. We were way worried and I was pretty emotional because I thought she was going to die. So we get to the animal hospital and they tested her for Parvo, which is a virus that basically turns their intestines to mush. Apparently, it was (and probably still is, so dog owners, beware...it's very contagious) running rampant around our neighborhood with several cases going into the vet every day. We had two different treatment options, an at home option and a hospital stay option. We definitely couldn't afford the hospital stay option, but my father-in-law, Boss Moss, is a genius at trading. He was able to trade a week at a condo using his timeshare points with the owner so Sabra could stay in the hospital and it hardly cost us anything! (To learn more about how to do this yourself, buy his e-book coming out soon! I will link it when it comes out.) She was gone most of the week, and came back Friday afternoon, still a little sick and tired, but definitely on the mend. She is back to her old self now and I am so grateful for Boss Moss and his excellent trading skills and know-how.

While all this was going on, we were preparing for Thanksgiving and just spending time together enjoying each other's company. We were able to go to a way fun place called Cracker Jax up in Scottsdale where we rode go-carts and played mini-golf. We made pies, went car shopping for J's brother, helped Mom prepare Thanksgiving dinner (but she did most of the work and the food tasted amazing), played games, went shopping for Christmas decorations, went out to San Tan Flats for dinner and dancing, we decorated my house and my tree for Christmas, and fixed my sewing machine! During this time, I also developed a persistent sore throat that has been trying to turn into something more. But overall, we had a lot of fun and I am so grateful that we were able to spend Thanksgiving with them.

I also got a new calling while they were here! I am no longer in the Relief Society Presidency, which made me really sad. We had so much fun while we were in there and I received many blessings from serving and getting to know the amazing sisters in our ward. It was hard to let go, but Heavenly Father has His own plans for us and He definitely knows what's best. I am now the new Nursery Leader. I was way hesitant at first because I'd never been in Nursery, but I've been in there the last couple of Sundays and, thanks to the old Nursery Leader, I'm feeling much more comfortable and excited about my calling. The kids are so precious and it's so fun to get to know them and see all their sweet personalities. It's also great because I'm up and moving around for the last two hours of church!

We made the decision not to go home for Christmas. It just ended up being too much money and we needed to buckle down. Plus, most of J's family came down for Thanksgiving and my parents will be here in January for my birthday. We are really sad that we won't get to spend Christmas with them and the rest of J's family we didn't see on Thanksgiving and my bro who won't be able to come with my parents in January, but we are grateful for each other and that we can spend it together in our house. Everytime I say, "I wish we could go home for Christmas," J looks at me, smiles, and says, "We are home," followed with a big kiss. I love him so much.

Because we are staying home for Christmas, we need stockings since ours are in Montana! So...I am making them! I am way excited and need to go find some fabric. I've looked, but I can't find any that just screams, "I will be the best stocking material in the world!!!" And yes...I definitely need to hear that before I bring it home and make it into a stocking.

Baby news--no baby yet. But, the Clomid did work and I did ovulate so we will keep up on that and see what kind of results we get. We are praying really hard to have whatever. My sister-in-law, Samurai Mom, said she is thinking in doubles. I would love double littles, but I will take whatever I can get at this point. But... if Heavenly Father is feeling extra generous when He decides to bless me with a baby, I really do hope He gives me two.

Tomorrow night is our Ward's Live Nativity. I have been cast as Mary and J is Joseph. As Mary, I have to sing "Mary's Lullaby" by myself...as a solo. Yeah. I'm nervous. At practice the other night, I had to sing it into a microphone in front of the cast and I was so nervous I could hardly breathe. The second verse was better, and everyone there was very supportive and very sweet about it. However, I am still pretty nervous. We are doing two shows tomorrow night and I am hoping it goes well. But, remember that persistent sore throat I mentioned earlier? That has now turned into a cold, flu, whatever... My voice is now a half octave lower and a bit scratchy, not to mention the fact that I'm coughing and I have a stuffy/runny nose. I am going to pray for a Christmas Miracle though as well as have J give me a blessing tomorrow and I've been on the couch all day trying to recoup. I have been trying to sing all day to try and make my voice overcome the scratchiness. I've made progress, but I am nervous for when I get nervous...lack of breath and a cold might not work out so well. I know the Lord will bless me though.

One last thing. I have started eating gluten again. I did so well, but the last two weeks I felt like I had each leg in a different wagon trying to steer both, and I knew if I didn't jump onto one, I would fall off both. It was bad, and I wasn't seeing any results after those first two weeks. I feel good about it though. I gave it a shot and I have been more moderate in my gluten intake since eating it again. I am still going to try and make some good recipes with the gluten free stuff I have. My mother-in-law made some awesome scones I've been dying to replicate.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading my novel, and if you skipped some or all of this, I don't blame you. As I said, pictures will come soon!

I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas season and not getting too stressed out. I'm so grateful for this time of year and the blessings that come from it. Love you all!